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Exo70 interacts with the Arp2/3 complex and regulates cell migration

Nature Cell Biology volume 8, pages 1383–1388 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

The exocyst is a multiprotein complex essential for tethering secretory vesicles to specific domains of the plasma membrane for exocytosis1,2,3. Here, we report that the exocyst component Exo70 interacts with the Arp2/3 complex, a key regulator of actin polymerization4,5. We further show that the exocyst–Arp2/3 interaction is regulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF) signalling. Inhibition of Exo70 by RNA interference (RNAi) or antibody microinjection blocks the formation of actin-based membrane protrusions and affects various aspects of cell motility. We propose that Exo70, in addition to functioning in exocytosis, also regulates actin at the leading edges of migrating cells, therefore coordinating cytoskeleton and membrane traffic during cell migration.

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Figure 1: Exo70 interacts with the Arp2/3 complex.
Figure 2: Exo70 regulates cell migration (a) Immunolocalization of Exo70 (red) and Arp2 (green) to the leading edges of migrating NRK cells in a wound-healing assay.
Figure 3: The C-terminus of Exo70 is necessary for its ability to induce membrane protusions.
Figure 4: Exo70 is necessary for the generation of actin-based membrane protrusions.
Figure 5: Regulation of the interaction between the exocyst and Arp2/3 by EGF.

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Acknowledgements

We thank T. Svitkina, M. Welch, B. Goode, S. Zigmond, M. Chou, J. Peterson and C. Yang for reagents and numerous constructive discussions during the research. This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Pew Scholars Program for Biomedical Sciences to W.G.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104, PA, USA

    Xiaofeng Zuo, Jian Zhang & Wei Guo

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, 47907, IN, USA

    Ying Zhang & Daoguo Zhou

  3. Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, 08854, NJ, USA

    Shu-Chan Hsu

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Correspondence to Wei Guo.

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Zuo, X., Zhang, J., Zhang, Y. et al. Exo70 interacts with the Arp2/3 complex and regulates cell migration. Nat Cell Biol 8, 1383–1388 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1505

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